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No. 262,825. Patented Aug. 15, 1882.

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No. 262,825. Patented Aug. 15; 1882.

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UNITED STATES THOMAS OWENS, OF Y ONKEBS, NEW YORK.

CAR-STZARTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 262,825, dated August15, 1882. Application filed April 21, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, THOMAS Ownus, of Yonkers,in the county of \Vestchester and State of New York, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Car-Starters, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to street-car starters in which springs are soconnected by chains or other connections with drums and clutches uponthe axles that when the drums are thrown into gear with the axles thesprings will be compressed, and thereby retard and check the rotation ofthe axles and stop the car, while the power so stored up in the springswill be exerted upon the axles to start the car as soon as the drums arereleased from the axles to permit the springs to expand.

The object of my invention is to simplify the construction of suchcar-starters, and also to provide for usin g long spiral springs, sothat the required amount of spring-power can be obtained without makingthe springs of very heavy metal; and my invention consists in a novelmanner of combining the several parts of the mechanism employed so as toprovide a simple, cheap, and effective attachment for a car,,which willnot be likely to get out of order.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a longitudinal sectionof one end portion of a street or horse car embodying my invention. Fig.2 represents a plan thereof with the floor of the car removed. Figs. 3and 4 represent respectively a longitudinal section and a plan of theother end portion of the ear. Fig. 5 represents an end view of the car.Fi 6 represents a transverse section of a portion of the car upon alarger scale, and Fig.7 represents a section on the dotted line av 00,Fig. 6.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all thefigures.

A designates the main frame of the car, and B B designate the twoaxles,which are adapted to rotate in suitable journal-boxes, (not hereshown,) but which may be of any construction. Upon the axles B B aredrums O U, which are adapted to rotate loosely on the axles; and D Ddesignate clutch-pieces, which are engaged with the axles, each by aspline or feather, a, as shown clearly in Fig. 6, but so that they maybe shifted longitudinally thereon. The clutch-pieces D D are eachoperated by a pair of levers, E E,whieh are fulernmed at b to a support,E and which are connected together at 0, so that they may movesimultaneously. The connection 0 should be slotted slightly, so as topermit the levers to swing on their fulcrums, and each pair of leversmay be operated by a lever, F, arranged adjacent to the driversplatform, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, and connected with the lever E by arod, F. It will therefore be seen that byoperating either of the leversF the clutch-pieces D D on the axle at the opposite end of the car willbe moved longitudinally into or out of engagement with the correspondingdrum 0 or C, so as to lock said drum fast to or release it from itsaxle.

A designates cross beams or stretchers, which extend transversely acrossthe car near each end and form part of the rigid framework A of the car.The two timbers A are connected by rods Gr, extending longitudinally ofthe car,and upon these rods are cross-heads H H, arranged one near eachend of the car.

Between the cross-heads H H, and upon the rods G, are spiral springs I,which constantly tend to press the cross-heads 11H, away from each otherand against the timbers A ,as shown in Figs. 3 and 4., and said timbersform abut ments by which the cross-heads are arrested, so that wheneither cross-head is moved inward from the end of the car the springs Iwill be compressed, and thereby have power stored up in them. Thecross-head H is connected by a chain, J, or other flexible connectionwith the drum 0 upon the axle B, and the cross-head H is connected by achain, J, or other similar connection with the drum 0 on the axle B, asis best shown in Figs. 2 and 4.

Upon the axle B are two levers, K, arranged one near each end, and saidlevers project upward and fit loosely in stirrups L upon the cross-headH, as shown clearly in Figs. 6 and 7, and also in the remaining figures.Upon the axle B are two levers, K, arranged as above described withreference to the levers K, and projecting through stirrups L on thecross-head H. These levers K K may be constructed in any suitable mannerand connected with the cross-heads otherwise than as here shown; but Iprefer to make them as most B; but as soon as the driver desires tostart the car he operates the lever F on the front platform, so as torelease the drum G from the axle B, leaving the drum free to be rotatedby the expansive force of the springs I. Thereupon the cross-head H ismoved forward by the springs I, and through the stirrups L it moves thelevers Kforward, so that their pawls g engage with the ratchet-wheels Mon the axle B and turn it, or aid in turning it, to start the carforward. As soon as the car is started the pawls g-drop off the wheels Mand hang down clear of them, as shown in Fig. 3. When the car is goingin the opposite direction the lever on the platform at the opposite endof the car is operated to throw the drum 0 into gear with the axle B,and in whichever direction the car is going the drum on the rear axle isalways set in operation to stop the car, and the power stored up in thesprings is transmitted to the front axle to start the car.

One spring arranged between the crossheads at about the middle of theirlength might be substituted for the two springs I.

By my invention I provide avery simple and effective starting apparatus,which may be applied to street or horse cars at a small expense, andwhich will not be likely to get out of order.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. The combination of the two car-axles having ratchet-wheels fast uponthem, drums having a clutch-connection one with each axle, cross-headsconnected each with the drum at the opposite end of the car, a spring orsprings arranged between said cross-heads, and levers connected withsaid cross-heads, and carrying pawls for engaging with saidratchet-wheels to start the car, substantially as and for the purposedescribed.

2. The combination of the axles B B, ratchet-wheels M, drums O O,clutch-pieces D D, guide-rods G, cross-heads H H, springs I, connectionsJ J, and pawl-carrying levers K K, all substantially as hereindescribed.

3. The combination, with an axle and crosshead of the kind hereindescribed, of the ratchet-wheel M, the lever composed of the plates d,fitting loosely at the sides of said wheel, the pawl g, and the stirrupL or L, which is attached to said cross-head and receives the leverthrough it, substantially as set forth.

THOMAS OWENS.

clearly shown in Figs. 6 and 7. Each lever is composed of two plates, d,which are secured together by bolts e, and which fit loosely upon thehubsf of ratchet-wheels M, keyed fast or otherwise secured to the axlesB B, so as to turn freely on said hubsf, and each lever carries a pawl,g, for engaging with its ratchetwheel. The plates d are kept at a properdistance apart by the pawls on one side and by thimbles or sleeves g,surrounding the bolts e and fitting between the plates on the otherside. The plates 61 of the levers are formed with slots h, and throughthese and the stirrups L Lare inserted bolts or pins h, as clearlyshown. When either cross-head H or H is moved inward from the end of thecar the levers K or K turn loosely on the hubs f of the ratchetwheels M,and the pawls g ride freely over the teeth of said wheels; but when thecross-head moves in the opposite direction the pawls engage with theteeth of the ratchet-wheels and turn them, and with them theiraxles,thereby starting the car ahead. As the axle continues its rotationthe pawl g drops off the ratchetwheel, as shown clearly in Fig.3,anddoes not ride on the wheel. Consequently the noise caused by the pawlsclicking on the wheels is obviated.

It will be observed that the springs I are very long, and they may beeven longer and extend nearly the whole length of the car, and as thecross-heads H H move a considerable distance the springs are contracted,so as to greatly reduce their length, and hence they need not be made ofso heav material as they would have to be if they were much shorter.

As represented in the drawings, the car is supposed to be going towardthe left, and hence the portion of the car shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is theforward end. When the driver desires to stop the car he operates thelever F on the front platform to throw the clutchpieces D into gear withthe drum 0, thereby locking said drum to the axle B, as shown in Figs. 3and 4. The drum 0 then turns with the axle, and through the chain Jdraws the cross-head H backward or toward the rear of the car, as shownin Figs. 1 and 2. The crosshead H is at this time resting against itsabutment A, and as the cross-head H moves it compresses the springs I,which offer a gradually-increasing resistance to the rotation oftheaxleB, and finally stop it altogether, thereby effectively brakingand stopping the car. I

Witnesses:

CLARENCE E. HALL, J OHN A. PEASE.

e springs I are prevented from extending by the drum 0 being locked fastto the axle

